1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a fluid ejecting apparatus.
2. Related Art
In the related art, an ink jet printer (hereinafter refer to as a “printer”) is widely known as a fluid ejecting apparatus capable of ejecting ink droplets onto a printing sheet (medium). Such a printer has a problem that nozzles are clogged by increased viscosity or solidification of ink which results from evaporation of the ink from the nozzles of a printing head, attached dust, comingling of bubbles, or the like, thereby resulting in printing failure. Accordingly, such a printer is configured to carry out a flushing operation to forcibly discharge the ink from the inside of the nozzles, aside from the ejection with respect to the printing sheets.
In general, although a printing head is moved to an area other than a printing area to carry out the flushing operation in a scan type printer, the printer equipped with a line head with the fixed printing head is not able to move the printing head at the time of the flushing operation. Accordingly, for example, a method of ejecting the ink into an absorbing material (absorbing member), which is provided on a surface of a transporting belt for transporting the printing sheet, has been considered (refer to JP-A-2005-119284).
However, in the technology disclosed in JP-A-2005-119284, since a plurality of absorbing materials are placed at regular intervals on the transporting belt to coincide with the size of the printing sheet, the ink should be ejected while aiming for a gap between the printing sheets at flushing. Therefore, there is a problem that the size of the printing sheets or the transporting speed of the printing sheet is limited. In addition, if the flushing is carried out with respect to the planar absorbing material, the ink of a mist form is scattered by wind pressure which is generated by the discharge of the ink droplets, so that the surface of the printing sheet or the transporting belt may be contaminated.
Accordingly, there is considered a method of receiving the ink into an absorbing member, in which a linear absorbing material is used, and the linear absorbing member (absorbing material) is interposed between the line head and the printing sheet (printing medium), so that the flushing is carried out by ejecting the ink to the absorbing member. In this instance, since the quantity of the ink received by the absorbing member is limited, if the ink is absorbed to some extent, the absorbing member is moved, and then the flushing is carried out into the new area of the absorbing member to again store the ink.
However, in the case where the absorbing member is moved, if its running speed (moving speed) is not stable, the area receiving the ink comes in contact with the head or the printing sheet, which will make it dirty. In addition, as the area receiving the ink remains at the position to receive the ejection of the ink, the quantity of the ink received into the area may exceed the limit. Further, as the absorbing member is excessively moved beyond a predetermined distance, the efficient use of the absorbing member can be deteriorated.